Page:Diary of ten years.djvu/278

 260 wounded with spears in different parts of the legs,—to which they seem to confine themselves as if by some law among themselves. Sometimes two picked men opposed one another, and seemed to us as if they were about to engage in deadly fight. The whole scene was interesting, even amusing, for they appear to think nothing of a thrust in the fleshy part of the leg. One singular thing occurred. Tomghin was there, and Migo, who is his intimate friend or brother. They fought on different sides. Tomghin wounded the chief of Migo's party, who called out to Migo peremptorily to spear Tomghin. Migo ran up to Tomghin, who held out his thigh to receive the thrust of the other without either flinching or returning it. In our eyes, the worst part of it seems to be that their chief object apparently is to spear the women. The men try to frustrate these attempts with their spears until they are separated. Such is their mode.

28th March.—My old native friend, Doorbup, has been staying with me for some time. He has become an expert shot, and has killed for me a number of cockatoos and pigeons. He greatly gives the preference to the "cap gun," as he does not like the flash from the pan of the flint gun.—It is a most singular thing that a man in taking over a flock of goats to a station beyond the hills, the other day, lost no less than 53, from the sudden illness with which animals have been seized here. It is a fearful thing, and we know not the cause nor the remedy. Some say that bleeding is found useful.

April 3rd, Friday.—I must be down to Guildford on Monday as Commissioner of Roads, and to Perth to Council on Tuesday. I go to Mr. McDermott's to-morrow to see the sheep and make arrangements about their going away; from that, on Sunday, to start for York on Monday.

April 5th.—Rode to Mr. McDermott's yesterday to see the sheep. They are just lambing, so I fear I cannot send them now. A native boatman, Moly Dalebin, brought me a note this evening, saying that Mr. Henty had just arrived, bringing